Gujar Khan police have arrested a head constable for allegedly recording women in the toilets of the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital and have begun an investigation, officials said on Friday.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Assistant Superintendent of Police Syed Daniyal said, “The police received a complaint from a resident who said that the suspect — a serving head constable posted in Lahore office of Punjab Police — was allegedly involved in filming women while they were using the toilets in the hospital’s wards.”

The police arrested the suspect from the hospital and also recovered his cell phone, he said.

“It was during a preliminary investigation that police discovered that the suspect was a serving officer.”

Police said that several compromised videos of women using the toilets had been found on his cell phone, which have been sent for forensic verification.

ASP Daniyal later told Dawn.com that the aggrieved party has moved a cyber-inducement application against the constable. “The matter is already under process with the Federal Investigation Agency, which is the relevant forum for the case,” he added.

Gujar Khan Station House Officer Nazeer Ahmed Ghaeba told Dawn.com that police would investigate the case on merit and no favour or leniency would be exhibited.

The police have registered the case under sections 354 (Assault or use of criminal force to a woman and stripping her of her clothes) and 292 (Sale etc of obscene books, etc), and Section 509 (Insulting modesty or causing sexual harassment) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

When approached for comment, Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Sarmad Kiyani said there were no cameras in the hospital’s restrooms.

“The only cameras in the hospital are in the corridors, not in the toilets. We don’t know what kinds of videos they found on his phone. It’s up to the police to investigate the matter,” he said.

ASP Daniyal also told Dawn.com that the suspect had previously been booked for rape, but the case was later dismissed.

According to the first information report (FIR) of the 2020 case, seen by Dawn.com, the suspect had allegedly raped a widow and was booked under Section 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), Section 354 (Assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and Section 34 (Acts done by several persons) of the PPC.

However, he had reconciled with the victim, so the case was withdrawn and he was reinstated, per the ASP.

Meanwhile, residents have urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to take serious notice of such incidents in government hospitals.

In March, Swabi police arrested a TikToker for making videos and photos of women and girls while they were shopping and uploading them to his account.

A similar incident occurred in Khanewal in December, where a suspect allegedly filmed women customers in the changing rooms of a garment retailer in Khanewal with his mobile phone. He was later sent on judicial remand.

Last June, police lodged a case against the owners and staff of a private girls’ hostel in Lahore’s Johar Town for recording videos of the residents through hidden cameras installed in washrooms, causing apprehensions that these clips may be sold and used on the ‘dark web’ or social media.